Slovakia has purchased 2 million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine, making it the second country in the EU to go ahead and purchase the shot, which has not been approved by the European Medicines Agency.
Prime Minister Igor MatoviÄ held a press conference Monday at the KoÅ¡ice Airport, where the first delivery of the vaccine arrived, reported local newspaper SME. He declared that the Russian vaccine will allow the country to speed up its vaccination program by 40 percent.
Health Minister Marek KrajÄÃ said the shot won’t be administered right away because it still requires a sign-off from the national drug regulator, the newspaper wrote.
According to the Slovak Spectator, the country has received 200,000 doses, with 800,000 more due in March and April, and a final million scheduled for May and June.
But the decision to break ranks with the rest of the bloc is already causing tensions, with one member of parliament, Tomáš Valášek, quitting the government coalition over the decision.
Foreign Minister Ivan KorÄok was also critical of the move. He took to Facebook to criticize MatoviÄ’s decision to attend the arrival of the Sputnik shots, noting the lack of EMA approval to date.
